The Midnight Cat
by dewdrop.juri
Summary: { Welcome to the Midnight Cat-home to the lost, the weary and the damned.} Nakahara Chuuya was used to many things and being mistaken as a minor in a bar was not one of them.
1. misconceptions

| misconceptions

The girl with the braids looks at him skeptically, roaming her blue eyes over his figure—first at his hat, his coat, his shoes.

Under her scrutiny, Nakahara Chuuya felt his irritation rise.

"What are you staring at?" He hisses, each word spat out in an irate tone as he glared at the bartender across the bar counter.

She taps a finger at the corner of her mouth in response, furrowing her eyebrows at him before addressing the Mafia executive.

"Are you _sure_ you're not a minor?"

The thin line of patience holding Nakahara Chuuya together was starting to snap.

"I'm not." He growls, glaring at the girl in front of him. "Get me a drink."

To his further annoyance, the girl merely folded her arms across her chest before continuing to assess his figure.

"Listen kid, I know you're in a state of teenage angst but there's no need to drink away your problems." She replies in all seriousness, an _older-sis-knows-best_ look on her face to top it off. "Don't damage your liver too early…"

Braids—that was what Chuuya decided to call her in his head—turned her back against his figure and focused instead on arranging the liquor bottles on the shelf.

"If I were you, kiddo…" She turns her head over her shoulder to flash him a mocking smirk. "I'd use this time to sleep so I could _grow_ some more."

At that last statement, Nakahara Chuuya could feel his composure slipping away.

" _ **WHO'RE YOU CALLING SHORT, WOMAN?!"**_

Nakahara Chuuya was used to many things—and being mistaken as a minor inside a bar was not one of them.


	2. over shots of sake

| over shots of _sake_

"So what's your story?"

Chuuya looks up from his shot glass at the sound of the girl's voice addressing him.

Braids had taken up her position in front of him, standing in a relaxed posture as she cradled a glass of _sake_ in one hand. She sent him one of her quirky grins-they were quickly making him irritated by the hour.

"What's it to you?" Chuuya spat out instead, downing the rest of the liquor in his glass in one go. His blue eyes glared menacingly at her in warning—clearly signaling not to pry in his business.

She only whistled lowly before barking out a small laugh, her braids swishing gently as her shoulders shook in laughter. "Oh, you've got some spunk into you! Nice!"

"Shut up and mind your own business." Chuuya replied, growling almost and she had shrugged good-naturedly at his reply, raising both of her arms in mock surrender.

"All right, Mr. Grumpy Puss." Braids replied, tone laced with mock endearment. "Keep your secrets to yourself, I won't pry anymore."

Chuuya scoffed at her reply before pouring the rest of his liquor bottle into his glass. She had trained her blue eyes at him, observing his every move before finally deciding to lean against the counter, body angled slightly to the right.

"Nope, I can't help but be curious after all." She mumbled and crossed her arms over her chest, cradling the glass of _sake_ she had been drinking as well. "You have some sort of issue, I can tell."

"Can't a man drink his booze in peace?" Chuuya growled, his patience thinning by the very minute. _The nerve of this woman…!_

Braids only raised an eyebrow in reply, lips slightly tilted upwards in a wondering pout. She had placed her glass back on top of the counter, her blue eyes looking far into the crowd inside the bar.

"You don't seem to be aware of this bar's reputation, after all." She mused under her breath, making the Mafia executive tilt his head in curiosity at her statement. Taking that movement as a gesture for her to continue, Braids angled her body to face him.

" _Welcome to 'The Midnight Cat'."_ She smiled—her blue eyes seemingly glowing darker as she stared right back at him. _"Home to the lost, the weary and the damned."_

Nakahara Chuuya stared blankly at the girl from her statement before returning to nurse the rest of his booze.

"Nice advertising scheme." He mused, swirling the liquor in his glass as he made his comment. "Who came up with it?"

Braids blinked her blue eyes owlishly, clearly astounded at his reaction. Chuuya only raised an eyebrow in reply.

"What?" He replies, "Something wrong with what I said?"

Imagine his surprise when she suddenly bent over in laughter, clutching her stomach for support.

 _Hell,_ Chuuya thought. _This chick's drunk._

"Oh, you really are interesting! Hahaha!" She chortles, letting out an unladylike snort at the end of her laughing fit. "Really, really, interesting!"

"You're drunk." Chuuya mutters into his glass, closing his eyes as he let the rest of the liquor go down his throat. "You should end your shift and let someone else take over your work, Braids."

"Phew. I haven't had such a good laugh in a long time." Wiping tears from the corner of her eyes, Braids she dusted her hands on her uniform, straightening up as she regained her composure. "And for your information, it'll take more than this piss-poor _sake_ to get me wasted." She held up the half-finished bottle for proof.

"Whatever." Chuuya retorts snarkily, slamming the glass down as he finished the last of his drink. "I'm going back, this is stupid."

He pushes back the stool, slams some money on the counter and glares at the girl across the counter.

To his further irritation, she only responds with a stupid, mocking grin—the braids she's wearing adding to her stupidity. He only turns his back in reply, his black coat fluttering as he walked towards the exit.

" _Hey, kid!"_

Chuuya had not taken more than two steps when she suddenly calls to him from the counter, making him turn back to face her in annoyance.

"What is it this time?!" He rattles off, irritated.

" _The name's Kurosawa Ayaka!"_ She exclaims, a bright smile on her face. _"I'll see you here tomorrow, yeah?"_

The Port Mafia executive only clicks his tongue at her stupid proclamation, turning on his heels as he walked swiftly out of the bar. He tilts his hat once he's out in the streets, blue eyes looking up to the night sky riddled with stars.

 _Kurosawa Ayaka, huh?_

Scoffing, Chuuya starts his walk back to the headquarters, his shoes clicking into the pavements with every step.

 _Damn woman._

That night, Nakahara Chuuya had concluded that Kurosawa Ayaka was a nutcase.

A rather interesting nutcase.


	3. hair down

| hair down

Kurosawa Ayaka wasn't present at the bar the next night.

In her stead, a 20-something guy with a blonde undercut and ear piercings filled her usual spot. The bartender uncorks a bottle of red wine, pours some inside a glass and pushes the cup to Chuuya sitting across the counter.

"Your order, boss." The blonde guy remarks curtly before turning his back to wipe down the rest of the glasses near the counter.

Chuuya swirls the blood-red liquid inside the glass before taking a sip. As soon as the liquid burns down his throat, his blue eyes scan the bar's vicinity, searching for a certain stupid girl with braids.

"Kurosawa Ayaka…" Chuuya mumbles the name before he could stop himself. The blond turns back to face him, a look of wonder on his face.

"You know Aya-chan, boss?" The blond asks and Chuuya utters a profanity under his breath at his slip of the tongue.

"…sort of." Chuuya utters. _She was practically the one who forced her name on me, though._ "She's not in here, today?"

"It's her day-off but…" Blondie pauses in the middle of re-stocking the alcohol and gazes at the grandfather clock situated across the room. The hands read 8:45 in the evening. "If it's Aya-chan, then any minute now…"

Chuuya raises an eyebrow at the blonde's tone, before turning his gaze to the clock as well. _Any minute now, and then what?_

" _Ryuu-chan~! Are you here?"_

The door to the bar opens with a loud noise, and the familiar figure of Kurosawa Ayaka enters the premises.

Chuuya averts his gaze momentarily away from his drink to take in the woman's appearance—black Peter-pan collared blouse over white skinny jeans, 3-inch boots and her brown hair flowing down to her waist in soft waves as she shouldered a white tote-bag with a piano design.

He quirks an eyebrow at her figure. _Huh. She's not wearing her stupid braids._

Ayaka's blue eyes zoomed on Chuuya's figure and with her trademark grins, she approaches the bar counter, plopping on a stool next to him.

"Oh~? It's you from the other day!" She quips, her tone oddly chipper than the usual. "What, here again to drink away your issues, kid~? You can tell Aya-oneesan your worries, instead~ "

"For fuck's sakes, I'm already 22!" Chuuya finally barks back, glaring at the snickering woman next to him. "Stop treating me like a rebellious brat, woman!"

"You're already 22?!" Ayaka gasps, her right hand flying to cover her mouth as an expression of mock disbelief settles on her face. _"…and at that height?!"_

 _Snap!_

There goes Chuuya's self-control and patience.

"THE FUCK YOU'RE CALLING SHORT?!" Chuuya explodes, fully tilting his body to size up the woman. "DO YOU WANT ME TO KILL YOU, KUROSAWA AYAKA?"

The threat apparently seemed to brush off Ayaka and instead she covers her mouth, fake tears swelling in her eyelids. "You actually remembered my name? I am so touched~"

"BITCH IMMA BURY YOU IN THE GROUND-"

"Ah~ Ryuu-chan, my usual please~"

" **LISTEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO YOU!"**

"So what brings you here today, _chibi-kun_?" Ayaka finally quips, swirling her martini inside the glass. This was her 5th drink for the night and a red flush already settled on her pale cheeks.

"Call me chibi one more time and I will crack your spine." Chuuya mutters angrily before downing the wine inside his glass.

Ayaka pouts momentarily, propping an arm on the table and resting her cheek on her palm. "But you never told me your name~"

 _Ah, such a pain in the ass._ Chuuya groans for a moment before fixating his eyes unto her, visibly annoyed. "You never asked."

"Ehh~" Ayaka hums before taking another sip of her martini. Her lips curl upwards to a grin before she addressed the man beside her. "Tell me, then~"

"Why should I?" Chuuya was quick to retort, returning back to nurse his wine with a nonchalant expression on his face.

"Sassing me now, aren't you~?" Ayaka murmurs under her breath and in response, she inches up near him, her fingers already dancing across Chuuya's arm. "I don't hate that side of you~"

At her sudden touches, the male suddenly jumps in surprise, spilling his drink in the process.

" **THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING-?!"**

Ayaka blinks her eyes at him in surprise but afterwards, a predatory smirk settles on her lips.

" _Ehh~ Such a shy boy, aren't you?"_

"I'M NOT!" Chuuya spats back irately. Ayaka laughs with mirth, pulling back away from him and raising both of her hands in surrender.

"I was just messing with you~" Ayaka replies, the visible flush on her cheeks getting even redder under the influence of alcohol. She stirs the drink in her glass with a bored look before turning her attention back to the male next to her.

"So what made you come here again?" She repeats her question from earlier, drumming her fingertips atop the bar counter as she speaks.

"And why would I tell you?" Chuuya replies, taking a sip of his booze before glancing at the glasses lining up in front of them.

"Aww, you're no fun." Ayaka pouts, twisting a strand of her brown hair around her index finger in the process. "If you don't tell me, I'll just go ahead and assume things." A smirk graced her lips as she uttered that last remark.

Chuuya stiffens, not liking the teasing lilt to her voice and the goddamn smirk on her face right that moment. He clicks his tongue in annoyance in reply.

"Why must I go ahead and tell you why I'm here?" Chuuya remarks, making the girl sigh again for the umpteenth time that night.

"Loosen up around me, will you?" Ayaka quips. Chuuya only scoffs in reply.

"Like hell I am." He mutters and drinks down his booze. Ayaka lets a grimace fall on her face.

"Eh, such a killjoy."

"Shut up, woman."


	4. passed out

| passed out

 _How did I end up in this predicament?_

Kurosawa Ayaka leaned closer to his shoulders, Chuuya grunting under his breath as he barely supported her weight. The Mafia executive muttered expletives under his breath as he escorted the wasted woman back to her apartment.

Their drinking session endured until midnight, the girl ending up knocked out after 10 drinks.

The bartender, Ryuu, had asked Chuuya to take Ayaka back to her apartment, apparently having his hands full with customers that night. Peak hours were just starting and Ryuu couldn't get out of work.

Despite protests, Chuuya gave in after knowing that the girl's apartment was just along the way back to the Mafia headquarters.

At his situation now—Ayaka barely standing up, her cheeks red with alcohol and her hands wandering across his chest—Chuuya was regretting his decision by the minute.

"Nee, nee~~" Ayaka slurs under the effect of alcohol, tugging at his coat's sleeves as her index finger seemingly pointed to an object in the distance. "I want dessserrrt~ Let's get someeee~"

"Shut up, you reek of booze." Chuuya angrily mutters to the girl next to him. "And don't lean unto me, you're fucking heavy!"

In response, Ayaka only loops her right arm around his, wobbling in her steps a bit as she peers closer to his face, pouting.

"I waaaanttt creammmmm puffssss…" She drawls and Chuuya reflexively pushes her face away from him.

"Shut up and keep walking!" He growls and Ayaka whines for a moment, but eventually her face morphed into a predatory expression, her fingers tracing patterns on Chuuya's chest.

The Mafia executive stiffens in surprise, even more when the girl suddenly loops her arms around his neck, pressing her chest against his as she looks up at him with half-lidded eyes.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" Chuuya remarks, guard up at her sudden touches. The girl licks her lips in reply, her voice dropping to a husky drawl as her fingers started to prod away at the buttons on his shirt.

"Want to have fun with me instead~?" Ayaka murmurs through her drunken haze, leaning in closer to murmur into his ears, "… _I'll make it worth your time_ ~"

Chuuya's cheeks pinked at her state right now but with every inch of his willpower, he pushes her away from him, making the girl blink her eyes confusingly at his actions.

"Like hell I'm sleeping with a nutcase like you." Chuuya remarks, glancing up ahead to see the small flat the girl was staying in two blocks away.

"Oi, your flat is near so get over yourself." Chuuya mutters. "Go get some sleep, idiot."

He jolts as she suddenly latches onto his arm again, a sultry smile on her features.

"I like youuuu~" Ayaka slurs, her face dangerously close to his once again. "Can I keep you, loveee?"

Chuuya stiffens, suddenly aware of their closeness once more. Her chest pressed up against his arm, her cheeks flushed due to alcohol, her breath reeking of booze. Her brown hair was messed up, but the tresses framed her face in the right places, the intensity of her blue eyes seemingly taking on a darker tint under the night.

"You—"

 _Slump._

Before he could manage a reply, Kurosawa Ayaka slumped to the pavement, passed out and finally giving in to sleep.

The man blinks at her state, his confusion morphing into irritation at his current situation.

Uttering a quiet _'Shit,'_ under his breath, Nakahara Chuuya picks her up and drags her back to her apartment.

 _Fucking, wasted, woman._


	5. hangovers

| hangovers

 _My head hurts._

Blinking her eyes open, Kurosawa Ayaka groans as the first waves of a migraine drilled into her skull. Sitting up didn't help either, and she hisses as the pain even got worse.

Forcing herself out of bed, she lets the bed sheets fall down to the floor, her feet stepping over the mess of music sheets as she makes her way to the terrace of her flat.

An ashtray sits on the round table on her terrace, along with a lighter and a pack of ciggies. The girl reaches out to take a stick, lights it and places it between her lips.

Ayaka takes a long drag and slowly exhales, watching as the smoke made shapes with the morning air. Her blue eyes absentmindedly drifted to the streets below, watching people pass by.

 _Oh yeah. What happened last night?_

Her thoughts echoed a question as she takes another whiff of her ciggie. A sudden sting on her cheek snaps her out of her reverie and as she reaches out, she could make out a small band-aid pressed sloppily to the left side of her cheek. She frowns.

 _Who on earth did such a sloppy patch-up job?_

Finishing the last few whiffs of her cigarette, she puts out the flame on the ashtray, stretching her arms as she made her way back inside.

 _First, a shower ,then a quick breakfast at the café before I go out to university._ Ayaka maps out her schedule for the day, stripping off yesterday's blouse and jeans as she pulls out a towel from her cabinet.

Dropping her undergarments at the laundry basket along with her clothes and wrapping her towel around her body, she makes her way towards the bathroom but suddenly stops as something taped to her bedroom door catches her attention.

Ayaka blinks as she reaches out to it—a small scrap of white paper no doubt teared off from the memo pad on her desk with a few words scrawled unto the surface was taped on the surface of her door. She plucks it out, her blue eyes scanning over the contents carefully.

 _I disinfected what I could. Don't get wasted if you're going to inconvenience someone, idiot._

 _-Nakahara Chuuya_

A small smile etches unto her lips at the note before she chuckles. She folds the paper in half before placing it inside her desk drawer.

 _Nakahara Chuuya, huh?_ Ayaka hums to herself before opening the door to proceed to the bathroom for her shower. _Interesting guy, indeed._


	6. the coming of a storm

| the coming of a storm

 _Let it reverberate._

Nimble fingers danced through the black and white keys of the piano.

 _Let them feel it._

She had made sure to memorize this piece the other day, pounding every note, every melody into her whole body as she continued to play with a ferocity she never had before.

 _Let my music reach them._

Ayaka presses the last note, letting the last sound echo in the stillness of the room before pulling back from the piano, panting slightly.

Applause breaks out, and she angles her body from the piano seat to face her audience, a sheen of sweat shining on her forehead. She lets a modest smile flutter on her lips before standing and bowing graciously to the people watching her.

 _If only they could see me now._

* * *

Ayaka steps backstage, accepting the white face towel one of the staff reached out towards her. She pats her face dry, relief settling into her features as she wipes the sweat off of her face. The silk material of the black dress she was wearing today clung to her like a second skin and she would love nothing more than to take it off and indulge in a long shower back into her flat.

" _Aya, my little dove! There you are!"_

Ayaka was about to head towards her dressing room when a female voice in heavily accented Japanese calls out to her from the left wing of backstage. She turns around, only to be greeted by a woman in an olive-green jumpsuit, her blonde hair brushed up into an elegant up-do. Ayaka visibly relaxes and sends a small smile in the direction of the approaching woman.

"Leti! So you were here?" Ayaka addresses the woman with a beaming smile as she reaches out to give her a hug. "Luigi said that you were not coming."

Letizia Verdi breaks out of the hug to press an affectionate peck on Ayaka's cheek. " _Mi dispiace*_ for not informing you in advance my darling. I had a break out of my schedule and I wanted to see you perform! _Magnifico*_ as always, my little dove!"

Her green eyes reflected pure sincerity and delight and Ayaka could not help but return it with her own.

" _Grazie*_ , Leti." Ayaka thanks the older woman in reply, head tilting slightly to offer her a bow. "I've only come this far because of your generosity."

"Ah, raise your head up, child." Letizia chides the girl in front of her and once Ayaka straightens up, the former reaches out to tap her shoulder affectionately.

"I've always thought that you held great potential, Ayaka." Letizia replies, her tone sincere. "It should be me who should be thanking you for making these charity concerts a success."

The Italian woman smiles at the brunette but suddenly, the ringing of her phone echoes backstage. Letizia's lips morphed into a small pout as she pulls her smartphone out of her pocket to look at the receiver.

Ayaka peers over to observe her benefactor's face and she blinks as Letizia's bright green eyes seemingly darkened as she picks up the call.

"Leti? Is there something wrong?" Ayaka muses and Letizia's aura immediately reverted to her cheery mood earlier.

"No, nothing is wrong, my little dove." Letizia reassures her before waving her phone in front of her face. "A very urgent phone call I really need to take." Her green eyes sought Ayaka's blue ones before speaking again. "Freshen up, Ayaka. You still have your part time job after this, no?"

Ayaka blinks then suddenly flinches as she remembered her shift at The Midnight Cat. "Ah. You're right!" She pulls off the red stilettos off her feet, they were starting to really hurt, and turns to Letizia. "I'll be going ahead, then, Leti!"

She starts to sprint towards her dressing room, barking a hasty " _Arrivederci*_!" over her shoulders to her sponsor.

* * *

Letizia watches with a smile as her charge runs off to her part-time job. As soon as Ayaka's back disappears from her sight, her smile falls and she returns her attention back to her phone, answering the call.

"Ciao?"

" _The deal has been made."_

A male voice echoes from the other end of the line. Letizia's lips curled into a smirk.

"And the Port Mafia? I trust they haven't caught wind of our activities yet?" She inquires, shifting to Italian.

"Not yet. Our cover seems to be perfectly working." The man replied, making Letizia scoff haughtily in reply.

"Of course. I planned this set-up, so it should work perfectly." Letizia replies. "I've found the perfect pawn too. That Japanese girl is perfectly unaware of our activities."

A pause from the other end of the line. Letizia frowns before speaking up.

"Are you still there?" She barks into the receiver, obviously very irritated.

"…what if that girl suddenly learns about the true nature of what she's gone into?" The man replies again. "What will you do, Letizia?"

The Italian woman pauses to think for a moment. A second passed, and then her lips curl into a vicious smirk as she utters the next words:

" _Why, eliminate her by all means, of course."_

* * *

Translations:

Mi dispiace = I am sorry

Magnifico = Magnificent

Grazie = Thank you

Arrivederci = Goodbye/see you soon

Ciao = Hello

a/n:

Juuri here!

Hey I know it's been a while but thank you so much for your support on The Midnight Cat! Honestly guys, I'm really overwhelmed by your continuous support! You have my endless gratitude!

Life update: I started learning Italian since I bought a language book at the bookstore and I am fascinated with the language. Hopefully I can pick up the basics pretty soon!

I'm really excited for the next chapters for this fanfiction. Like honestly I've written the whole plot outline of this (heck until the ending, even lol). Wow Juuri, slacking off while you have a ton of final projects to do, RIP self.

See you for the next update, loves! I love you all! *sends hugs and kisses*


	7. first blood

| first blood

 **Step. Step. Step.**

His footsteps thundered through the headquarters, obvious of his irritation and barely-contained fury.

 **Step. Step. Step. Step.**

" _Fifteen of our subordinates were taken out of action last night, Nakahara-san."_

 **Step. Step.**

The sight of the body bags holding his men's bodies were still fresh in his sight, and remembering their bullet-riddled bodies made Chuuya's blood boil in anger.

 **Step.**

He pushes the double doors in front of him, stepping inside the room, his coat fluttering behind him. Pinning his gaze to the man sitting with his back against him, Chuuya attempted to quell his anger. Taking deep breaths before holding his ground, he opens his mouth to announce his arrival.

"You called for me, Boss?"

Mori Ougai tilts his swivel chair, angling his position to face his subordinate. Behind him, Elise was doodling with her crayons, the sound of her doodling echoing in the room for the while.

"Nakahara-kun." Mori acknowledges his presence, a wry smile on his features as he rests his chin on his palm. "I assume you have an idea as to why I called you here?"

Chuuya nods as a reply.

Mori chuckles, spinning his chair again only to pull out a dart from his desk.

"Such a bold move for a foreign syndicate, you think?" Mori remarks before flinging his dart. It hits its target, well way off the bulls' eye. He grimaces for a moment before turning back his attention to Chuuya. "How are the casualties?"

Chuuya narrows his gaze, his voice dropping to a much more serious tone. "15 from my squad, Boss. They were ambushed at one of our drug cartel territories last night."

"Quite a daring feat, I must say." Mori replies, picking up another dart and twirling it round his fingers. A moment of silence echoes around the room before the Port Mafia head speaks again, a cruel smile on his lips.

" _ **We ought to return the favor."**_

* * *

"Bad day today?"

Chuuya spares Ayaka a look before returning to the glass of whiskey in his hands. The girl shrugs at his silence before continuing to arrange the glasses in the shelf.

"You can talk to me you know?" Ayaka offers, finishing the arrangement of the last batch of glasses before shutting the shelf doors closed and returning her attention to the male. "I mean, part of my job is to listen to people ramble." She furrows her eyebrows in thought. "Well, _sort of_."

"Mind your damn business, Braids." Chuuya mutters into his glass before taking another sip. Ayaka sighs before smiling wryly at Chuuya.

"So stubborn." She comments, earning a glare from the male so she holds her arms up in surrender. "Come on, I'm just telling the truth."

"You know, just do your damn job." Chuuya replies, "...go wipe some tables or something."

Chuuya watches discreetly as the girl pouts and turns her back away from him, returning to polish the other glassware. His eyes immediately lock on to her cheeks, focusing on the small scar from her injury the other day.

The girl suddenly flinches and she abruptly pulls something from her pocket, turning her attention back to him.

"Before I forget, here."

Chuuya quirks an eyebrow at the piece of paper extended to his direction.

"What's this?" The man asked and Ayaka pauses in the middle of wiping glasses before facing him with a beaming smile.

"Payback for the other day." She quips, pointing to the small scar on her cheek to emphasize her point. "That's a ticket for my university recital next week."

"Hmph." Chuuya scoffs before taking a sip of his whiskey. "You're making a fuss over a trivial thing. Patching you up and carrying your drunken ass back to your flat was not done out of my own good will, Braids."

"Well, true." The girl shrugs, her braided hair swishing along with the movement. "You did a sloppy job of first aid, by the way."

"Deal with it." Chuuya snaps back and Ayaka only sighs.

"Okay, okay. Fine." She breathes out, fingers extending to take back the ticket from Chuuya . "If you don't want to come, then I'll just-"

"Who said something about not coming?" Chuuya fires back, his fingers already snatching the ticket back from the girl.

Ayaka blinks in confusion then suddenly grins. "So you _**do**_ want to come~"

Chuuya chokes on his drink at the sudden statement before looking up to glare at Ayaka who was smiling victoriously.

"I didn't say anything, Braids!" He barks back but the girl only started to wave her right hand dismissively.

"But you're coming, right?" Ayaka retorts and then delights in Chuuya's attempts to cover up his slip of the tongue.

"That depends!" Chuuya exclaims, slamming the glass down the table top and then he stands up, reaching for his coat and his hat near his side. "Fuck this. I'm outta here!"

As the petite man made his way to the entrance, Ayaka looks with a fond smile at the sight of the ticket wedged between his fingers.

"He tries to deny, but kept the ticket anyway~" Ayaka mutters under her breath, grinning before raising her voice to call out to the departing customer.

"I'll see you next week then, Chuuya~!"

" _ **DON'T CALL MY NAME SO CASUALLY, KUROSAWA!"**_


	8. crescendo

_Is this really the place?_

People shuffled all around him, entering through the auditorium doors clad in semi-formal dresses or tuxedos. Soft instrumental music played in the background, and a single banner near the hall welcomed the guests to the night's event. The interior of the music hall was buzzing with activity as people tried to find their respective seats, shuffling in between the rows of chairs.

Chuuya clicked his tongue in impatience, blue eyes narrowing as he openly glared at the small ticket he held in between his fingers. He was still standing in front of the hall, eyes scoping out that one particular figure who had invited him to this recital.

 _Where the hell is that woman-_

" _ **You came!"**_

He turns around at the sound of a familiar voice and suddenly stops, blinking his eyes at the approaching figure of Kurosawa Ayaka running towards him.

Tonight, she was wearing a dark blue, airy, chiffon dress that dropped to her knees in a graceful flourish. The upper part of the dress bared her shoulders, dropping to expose a bit of her chest. She had swept her brown hair up in an elegant up-do, exposing dainty pearl earrings on her ears. A pair of low-heeled white heels rested on her feet.

Against his better judgment, Chuuya stared. Ayaka catches his gaze, a knowing smirk settling on her lips at his reaction.

"What's the matter, Chuuya?" She taunts, a teasing lilt to her voice as she stepped closer to his figure. _**"Like what you see?"**_

"Hah? Who's staring-?!" The male barks back quickly, making the girl laugh softly at his reaction. Chuuya glares at her before giving Ayaka's figure another look, his blue eyes quickly averting to the side as he mumbled, "…well, not bad, I guess…"

Ayaka blinks first, processing the male's words, before she gives out a snort that soon escalated into a giggle.

"Wha-what are you laughing for?!" Chuuya protests, his irritation rising as his cheeks flushed in a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

"Haaah…no, nothing. Sorry." Ayaka wipes a tear from her eyes, regaining her breath as she finished laughing. "I was just surprised to hear a compliment coming from you, that's all." She flashes him a small grin.

"Be thankful I even went to your goddamn recital, woman." Chuuya remarks, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he straightens his back. "I'm a very busy man, I'll have you know."

"Yes, yes. I'm very thankful from the very bottom of my crooked heart." Ayaka assumes a mock curtsy, her voice laden with sarcasm as she rolls her eyes playfully. Chuuya only huffs in reply.

Looking up, Ayaka scans his figure, placing a hand under her chin as she assesses his outfit. "You really took the effort to dress up for tonight, didn't you?"

Chuuya was wearing a simple black tux over a white shirt with a midnight-blue tie. He had taken off his trusty hat once he had stepped in the venue.

"Shut up woman." He retorts back, a small flush settling on his cheeks. "The way I dress is none of your business."

"Okay, okay. No need to be so uppity about it, geez." Ayaka breathes out, shrugging in an 'oh-well' gesture. She suddenly opens a clutch that she had held in her arms for a while now, and Chuuya gazes at her direction, watching as she pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from her bag.

"You smoke?" He asks casually, making the girl pause in the middle of fiddling with the pack of ciggies.

"Yes, if it isn't already obvious?" Ayaka retorts back sarcastically, making the male glare back at her. "What? This part of the hall is a smoking area, I'll let you know."

Chuuya watches as the girl places a stick in between her lips, her nimble fingers tinkering with the lighter until a small flame ignites. She drew it close to the end of the stick, letting it absorb the flame before she places the lighter back in her clutch.

Ayaka inhales a long drag from the ciggie, exhaling it afterwards in a long breath. She glances at Chuuya and chuckles.

"It helps me calm down before I perform." She mutters, before extending the pack to the male. "You want one?"

"Nah, I'm good." Chuuya refuses and Ayaka shrugs before finishing the last of her ciggie, snuffing out the small flames that remained and tossing the stick to the nearby trash can.

Pulling out a small bottle of perfume from her clutch, she spritzes the fragrance on her body, masking the minty odour of the cigarette she had just finished. Chuuya catches the traces of a floral scent from her perfume.

"Well, I need to go before they'll start calling out for me backstage." Ayaka says as she places the bottle back in her clutch. "You should be heading in, it'll start soon, Chuuya."

"No need to remind me, Braids." The male spats out, walking past the girl in brisk paces. Suddenly, he halts just outside the door, looking over his shoulder to flash a challenging smirk to the female behind him.

" _ **Impress me, Kurosawa Ayaka."**_ He calls out before stepping inside the doors with a flourish.

"Oh, Chuuya." Ayaka stares at his retreating figure, her blue eyes gleaming with newfound determination under the dark as a smirk graces her red lips. _**"Impress you I will."**_


	9. liebestraum

_*Achoo!*_

Somewhere in the audience, Nakahara Chuuya sneezes.

The concert hall was almost packed with spectators than he initially thought, and the cooling system was set on full blast to accommodate the number of people present that night. The male sneaks a glance at his seatmate-a middle-aged man who had promptly dozed off after the first pianist half-assed Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G Minor-and sighs harshly.

 _When is that damn Braids going to start playing, anyway?_

Chuuya sighs before opening the programme and scanned down the names of the students who were supposed to be performing that night. He props his cheek up with one palm as he lazily browses through the pages, utterly bored out of his mind.

He's been to better concerts abroad. He's seen world-class orchestras and pianists perform during his missions to Europe, a side-trip he often takes before returning to home base. He's spectated and listened to the best of the best.

A university recital performed by half-baked pianists? Chuuya didn't keep his hopes up, a hundred percent sure that it would be a snooze fest.

" _Performer number 29, Kurosawa Ayaka."_

Chuuya sits up a tad properly at the announcement, his blue eyes training on Ayaka's figure as she approaches the piano in confident strides, her blue dress' skirts fluttering gracefully behind her as she finally takes her seat.

She positions her arms and relaxes her posture, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opens her eyes again, her fingers descended on the piano keys, the sound echoing throughout the four walls of the concert hall.

 _Franz Lizst: Liebestraum No. 3 – 'Love Dream'_

Chuuya recognizes the piece she begins to play.

Written by Franz Lizst in the year 1850 while he was in Weimar, _Liebestraum_ , was composed by Lizst in hopes of attracting but, also giving the public a sense of adoration.

The piece starts out slow, creating a gentle sound that leaves a lingering caress to those who listened.

Chuuya watches as Ayaka dances her fingers through the ivory keys, filling the hall with a soothing rhythm. Her face was serene, at peace even, as she continues to play the piece, gradually building up tempo as the piece began to reach its zenith, the sound transgressing from gentle and calming to emotional and dramatic. It was as if the dull concert hall took on colour whilst Ayaka plays—peach, pink, teal, and green-a harmony of the warm pastel colours reminiscent of the coming of spring after a long, harsh winter.

The hall grows silent, people paying more attention to the lone performer on stage as she plays, her blue eyes looking upon the piano fondly as a lover would, her fingers caressing the black-and-white keys gently, softly, tenderly.

The piece finishes sooner than people had expected, and most had not noticed until Ayaka presses the last note, rises up from her seat, and taking a bow at the end of her performance. The audience blinks for a moment, stunned, and not long after, the hall fills with heartfelt applause.

Chuuya watches with renewed interest as Ayaka looks up from her position onstage, her blue eyes glittering with satisfaction and her lips stretched out to a full smile as she exits, waving as she did.

" _Liebestraum…"_ The Mafia executive hums under his breath. "…'dream of love', huh…"

Chuuya sighs, closing the programme before standing up and walking himself out of the concert hall before fishing out his wallet as he out into the streets.

 _I'll have to at least buy her some goddamn flowers, then._


	10. smiles, stammers, flowers

" _Aya-chan, you're going home already?"_

Ayaka looks back from the coat rack inside the musicians' dressing room, pausing in the middle of retrieving her white coat, as her friend, Honoka Minami trots over.

"Oh, yes, Minami-chan." Ayaka quips back as she shrugs her coat over her shoulders, buttoning it up halfway. She carries her clutch under one arm as she checks her reflection one last time in front of the vanity mirror. Satisfied, she turns to her dark-haired friend and smiles. _**"…I've got a date~"**_

Minami blinks her brown eyes in wonder at Ayaka's statement, but before she could utter a reply, the brunette had already wrenched the door open as she bid farewell.

"See you in school, Minami-chan~!" Ayaka cheerfully calls out, flashing her friend a dazzling smile. In a swish of blue skirts, Kurosawa Ayaka leaves the backstage hall in particularly high spirits.

* * *

Ayaka makes her way to the exit, the sound of her heels going 'clack-clack-clack' across the tiled floors as she paced. Majority of the performers had gone ahead after the closing ceremonies, and the term rankings were not going to be released until the day after tomorrow, so the entrance hall was relatively empty of people.

Save for one person who had caught the pianist's eye.

"Hi, Chuuya~" Ayaka calls out cheerfully, running towards the male waiting for her at the entrance of the hall. Her pace goes slower as soon as she was within two meters away from Chuuya. A small smile curls up at the corner of her lips. "Did you wait long?"

"Ah, I did." Chuuya replies back snarkily, straightening his posture as he levels Ayaka's stare with a glare. "You've got guts to make me wait, woman."

His head tilts upwards a bit, the height difference between the two of them stretching out a bit because of the added height Ayaka's heels gave her. The girl notices this and smirks, making Chuuya raise an eyebrow at her expression.

"What's that irritating grin for?" The male remarks back and Ayaka raises a hand over her heart, a mock expression of sympathy plastered on her face as fake tears pooled from her lids.

"Poor you, Chuuya." Ayaka sniffs, startling her male companion. "You have to look up when you want to talk to me, boohoo."

Said remark irked the male and out of irritation, Chuuya steps on her feet. Ayaka yelps.

"Ow! What was that for?" Ayaka cries out, teetering in her steps as the pain takes over her system. She looks at Chuuya, about to make another comment but the male was emitting a very dangerous aura.

" _ **Say that I'm short again woman, and I swear I will punch the living daylights outta you."**_ Chuuya spats out venomously, his blue eyes glinting dangerously as he glared hatefully at the girl. Ayaka laughs nervously, raising both of her arms in surrender, in an attempt to placate his anger.

"I got it, I got it, Chuuya." Ayaka replies, smiling nervously as her hand reaches into her clutch, bringing out a credit card. "I'll go buy some ballerina flats straight away so that I'll be at least your height…?"

At that remark, Chuuya finally snaps.

" _ **I DON'T NEED THAT KIND OF CONSIDERATION FROM YOU, KUROSAWAAA!"**_

* * *

"Aww, come onnnnn~"

"No!"

Ayaka pouts as she turns around, crossing her hands in front of her chest as she pins a sulky glance at Chuuya who was walking behind her. The two had barely exited the hall when Ayaka invited the male out for a meal.

"I get it, I'm sorry~ That was an off-handed comment earlier~~" Ayaka whines, stomping her feet childishly. "As repayment, let me treat you to dinner, okay? Chuuya, pleeassse?"

Chuuya turns, his arms hidden behind his back, as he glares at the woman in front of him again. He sighs exasperatedly.

 _If I turn down her offer, then she'll probably hound me with protests throughout the night._ Chuuya groans. _Ugh, I don't want that and there's the other matter of this…._

His grip tightens on the small bouquet of lilacs he had purchased from a nearby flower shop earlier. It was rare of him to be like this, but Chuuya felt she deserved to be rewarded for her efforts. She had entertained him with her piano playing, after all.

He had intended to give it to her earlier, but she had pissed him off so he held off on the attempt, keeping the bouquet hidden behind his back. Thankfully, the idiot woman hadn't noticed yet as she continued to pout and whine childishly in front of him.

"Tsk, fine." The male finally gives in, sighing exasperatedly. "But before that, here."

"Wha—wait!"

Chuuya tosses the bouquet unceremoniously to the female, who had caught it in her arms, all the while stumbling in her steps. He turns his head to the side, averting his gaze away from her just as she started to inspect the carefully arranged flowers. A confused expressions settles on Ayaka's face as she scrutinizes his gift.

"Flowers…?" Ayaka muses, her blue eyes widening slightly at the bouquet she held in her arms. A bunch of pale violet blossoms peeked from the silver wrapping paper, accentuated with a teal ribbon to hold it in place. Her blue eyes shifted to the male. "You got me flowers, Chuuya?"

This sudden touch of sentimentality was so unlike him that he regretted the decision to buy her flowers immediately. A flush of embarrassment rests on his face and Chuuya turns his head harshly towards her.

"Look, if you don't want it just throw it away—"

" _ **Thank you."**_

Ayaka interrupts his outburst, and Chuuya stops as he sees a gentle smile rest on her face. She hugs the bouquet close to her chest, her smile genuine and pure as her blue eyes sparkled with genuine emotion.

"No one's ever done something like this for me before." Ayaka murmurs as she nudges her nose to the flowers, inhaling there scent slightly. A small blush blooms on her cheeks as she looks up to level her gaze with Chuuya's, the same gentle smile on her face. "Thanks for this, really."

 _What the hell…_ Chuuya mutters in his mind, feeling his cheeks grow warmer. _So she can make those kinds of expressions, too…._

"Chuuya?" Ayaka's voice breaks him out of his reverie, and he sees that a sonfused expression settled on the girl's face. "What's wrong? Your face is really red?"

 _Shit._ He curses in his head and he hastily covers half of his face with his hand. "I'm f-fine. No need to fuss."

Ayaka blinks, and for a moment there she looked like she wanted to pry further but stops at the last moment. She sighs, and with a flourish, steps over to him and hooks her right arm with his. The male nearly trips with shock at her sudden movement.

"Wha-what are you doing?!" He stammers out and Ayaka only smiles as she leads him to the direction of a small restaurant.

"Yosh~ Let's go eat!" Ayaka cheers, raising her arm holding the bouquet in the air. "The alcohol's on you, Chuuya~!"

" _ **Wha—wait! Damn woman, you never listen to anything I say!"**_


	11. serenade for two

"Of all places, why would you eat at this open-air restaurant?"

"Oh hush, you. I know you like the food."

Ayaka continues on slicing small hunks of her steak as she responds to Chuuya's remarks about the food. The male glares at her momentarily, before stabbing his fork in the sliced meat and raising it to his mouth.

The girl glances at him momentarily, observing quietly as Chuuya chews and swallows the meat. He blinks in surprise.

"It doesn't taste as awful as I thought it would be." He muses, and Ayaka chuckles as his reaction, making the male turn to her with a scowl. "What? Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing~" Ayaka chirps, placing down her knife and fork on the plate as she finishes her meal. Dabbing at the corner of her lip with a table napkin, she directs another grin at his direction. "Don't underestimate my tastes~ I have class too, you know~"

"Huh, yeah right." Chuuya scoffs as he places his utensils on the plate too, reaching out and sipping at his flute of champagne.

"Hey, what's with that?" Ayaka protests and pouts, before leaning against the chair she was sitting on, narrowing her eyes at the male who merely shrugs and refused to comment further.

She sighs, her gaze drifting to the group of jazz musicians onstage. Chuuya follows her gaze. The restaurant was quiet that night, a minimal number of guests present.

"What?" He inquires, and the girl merely smiles before turning her gaze back at him.

"Mhm~ Nothing~" She replies as she takes a sip from her own glass too, enjoying the bubbly liquid on her tongue before she swallows it down her throat. She places it down the table, folding her hands in her lap as she observes her male companion.

"Say, Chuuya, I never got around to asking this earlier…" Ayaka starts, and Chuuya turns to face her. "…did I manage to impress you with my music?"

The question catches the male off-guard and he nearly chokes on his champagne. Ayaka chuckles at his slip-up, ignoring the particularly scathing glare he sent towards her direction after that and instead enjoyed the sight of his reddened cheeks.

"Y-you're not that bad." Chuuya stammers out after that, and he coughs once to clear his throat. "…your skills would've landed you in a scholarship abroad, at least."

Ayaka blinks for a moment at his words before she giggles. _That's probably as close as a compliment he could get._ "I'll bear that in mind, but for now, I'll content myself with Yokohama."

She could feel Chuuya's questioning gaze upon her, his movements suggesting his desires to inquire something about her, but the band suddenly begins to play before he could open his mouth.

The lyrics were in English, but it sounded like a love song. People slowed down, enjoying the warm mood that the music settled in the room.

The night breeze sweeps in, bringing in the scent of the salty air of the sea. Ayaka breathes in, closing her eyes and smiling wistfully.

The song continues and a few couples had stood up from their tables and heading out on the dance floor, swaying slowly to the beat. The brunette observes them before a bright idea suddenly seizes her mind.

Pushing back her seat, Ayaka bends down to undo the straps on her heels, making Chuuya look questioningly at her.

"What are you doing?" He queries, and the girl responds by undoing the bun on her hair, letting her thick, brown hair fall to her waist in soft waves.

Ayaka looks up, and smiles at his confused expression, tossing her heels on top of her chair before she speaks. _**"Let's dance."**_

* * *

 _What is this situation?_

The girl was in front of him now, one of her hands resting on his shoulder, the other clasped around his left hand. Her body close against his body, Chuuya could feel the heat wafting of Ayaka's skin, coupled with the alluring, sweet scent of her perfume.

His gaze locks on to her face, observing how her brown locks fell into place, framing her heart-shaped face just right. Her blue eyes, as if sensing his gaze, turns to face him, a small smile curling up in her lips.

"You're good." She refers to his dancing, and he merely scoffs before twirling her around and pulling her close back again.

"Of course." Chuuya remarks, this time smirking at her to which she returned with a sigh. His gaze drifts to her bare feet on the grass-strewn ground. "Why'd you take off your shoes, though?"

"For us to be at least the same height, duh." Ayaka retorts quickly. "It'd be awkward if I'm taller than you if you're leading the dance, right?"

For once, Chuuya didn't refute her claim, opting to grumble instead. The girl chuckles at his reaction, apparently amused. They continued dancing in silence, finding comfort in the silence that they now shared.

The music reaches its zenith and ends, the other couples starting to halt in their swaying. Chuuya stares at the girl in front of him and at the sight of their interlocked hands. He tightens his grip a bit, pulling her closer to his chest, surprising the female in front of him. She looks at him, her blue eyes wide with unspoken surprise.

"Chuuya?" Ayaka whispers, squeezing his hand gently. "What's wrong?"

Chuuya blinks his eyes, suddenly aware of what he was doing. He pulls back harshly, easing his hands away from their grip on hers. "It-It's nothing…"

 _What the hell is wrong with me tonight, damn it_. Chuuya curses in his head, hand reaching up to ruffle his hair in annoyance.

Ayaka tilts her head in confusion, about to comment on his odd actions, but before she could, the tell-tale drops of rain started to fall on their heads.

"Rain…?" Ayaka mutters and reaches out her hand, palm outstretched to catch the falling drops as they hit her skin.

What started as a light shower soon developed into a steady downpour. Diners quickly scrambled to the indoor portion of the restaurant and servers were busy ushering the soaked guests inside. The musicians quickly pack up their equipment, rushing to find cover.

Ayaka and Chuuya were left behind in the dance floor, their bodies thoroughly soaked by the pouring raindrops.

"Shit." The male curses under his breath at the situation and he reaches out for Ayaka's wrist, attempting to pull her to shelter. "Come on, woman, let's go—"

"Nope." Ayaka quickly shuts down his offer, slipping her wrist out of Chuuya's grip.

"Hah?" Chuuya blinks in surprise at her refusal, then suddenly dropped his jaw open as Ayaka runs toward the flower gardens, twirling in her thoroughly soaked dress.

She laughs, the sound reminding Chuuya of tinkling bells, as she spins around in a weird dance.

"What the fuck are you doing, woman?" Chuuya calls out, rushing towards her direction, but Ayaka only pulls him closer by the lapels of his tux, her blue eyes wide with childish glee as she addresses the male. For a moment, the male was mute with surprise at her forward gesture.

"I've never danced in the rain before." She breathes out, a grin on her lips. "I've always wanted to try once."

* * *

 _Idiot, reckless, nutcase, weird, unbelievable._

Those were the words that were running through Chuuya's mind at her statement. Standing in front of him was a woman whose waist-length brown locks were thoroughly doused, whose dress was clinging to her skin like a second skin, and whose feet were barefoot on the ground as she prances around in the pouring rain. Her blue eyes glowed with glee under the night, her full red lips stretching out into a beaming smile, not caring about the looks people sent her way.

Standing in front of him was a girl who could not hold her liquor, who was unbelievably irksome with her off-hand comments on his stature, his fashion sense, his grumpiness, and a girl who captures hearts with her piano-playing. She drew people to her like a storm with her charming personality, her goofy grins and her honest eyes—and Chuuya was caught up in her tempest.

Even though Kurosawa Ayaka was looking very much like a drowned cat with her look at this moment, one word crossed his mind as Chuuya stood in front of her, equally drenched in the rest of his evening attire.

 _Beautiful._


	12. slow burn

a/n: moved the warning up to 'MATURE' starting from this chapter! nsfw up ahead, just a heads-up!

* * *

" _Fuck, it's freezing…!"_

Chuuya looks back at the drenched girl following close behind him. Kurosawa Ayaka had her white coat awkwardly draped across her soaked blue dress, hobbling awkwardly in her wet shoes. He glares at her before successfully unlocking the door to his flat.

"Who told you to dance like an idiot under the fucking rain, dumbass?" He grits through clenched teeth, shivering as he makes his way to his living room, turning on the switches as he did. "Thanks to you, I got drenched, too!"

" _Hey, it's not my fault! You followed at your own accord!"_

Ayaka responds, batting her eyelashes at his retreating back. Hugging the coat close to her body, she takes off her heels by the entrance, taking care not to drip on the floor of Chuuya's home. He had insisted they run to his residence, what with it being close to the restaurant and with Ayaka missing the last train schedule, the two had reached for a compromise to make the girl stay over at least for the night.

"Fucking fine." Chuuya reappears from one of the rooms, a white robe in his hands. Without warning, he tosses it to the female, who had caught it awkwardly. Her questioning blue eyes met with his own deadpan irises. Chuuya sighs, his arm directing to a door further down the hall. "Dry yourself up in the bathroom-you're dripping all over my floor."

"Gee, thanks." Ayaka mutters back sarcastically, slinging the robe over one arm as she raises her eyes slowly makes her way toward the direction the male pointed, grimacing slightly at the feel of her damp clothes against her skin. "Hey, Chuuya, you got an extra shirt I could use?"

"Where's the 'please'?" The male grunts, poking his head out from his room. Clutching a dark blue shirt in his right hand, he tosses it over to the girl who caught it deftly this time. Chuuya watches as she raises the shirt to assess the size with her blue eyes, squinting slightly before turning to gaze back at him. Chuuya cocks an eyebrow.

"What?" He growls. "You have a problem with my clothes or something?"

"Not really." Ayaka shrugs good-naturedly, slinging the dry shirt over the robe in her arms. "I'll use your shower, excuse me~"

With a small salute, Chuuya watches as she disappears down the hallway of his home. The click of a door lock echoes and the Mafia executive sighs, making his way to his couch as he pulls a stick of cigarette from a pack resting atop the centre table. Lighting it with his lighter, Chuuya inhales a drag, before reaching for the remote of his stereo speakers, filling his home with the music of Chopin.

* * *

Ayaka gives a small sigh of relief as she lowers her naked body into the bathtub, enjoying the feel of the warm water on her skin.

Humming softly to herself, she fiddles with her tresses as she surveyed the interior of Chuuya's bathroom. There was the huge bathtub she was soaking in, and a shower to the right. Behind the door was a series of clothing hooks, and she had took the liberty to hang the white robe and the dark blue shirt once she had entered the room. Her soaked dress and coat were promptly dumped inside an empty laundry basket under the bathroom sink. A cupboard filled with shower essentials and toiletries was opposite the sink and mirror, and she had reached out to a bottle of peppermint body wash, one she had lathered over her body before she soaked inside the tub.

She soaks for another 5 minutes, before sighing and deciding to get out. She walks over to the clothing hooks, grabbing her lacy black panties and slipping it on before promptly reaching out for the dark blue shirt Chuuya had tossed over to her. The material of the shirt was soft against her skin, and it barely fell to the tops of her thighs, leaving her legs exposed.

Throwing on the white robe, Ayaka tied the cord loosely around her waist, the material falling just above her knees. Running her fingers down her long, brown hair, Ayaka takes a double-take at the mirror, observing her reflection before humming in approval at her appearance.

She twists the bathroom door open and walks down the hallway slowly. Her ear catches the familiar notes of Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23, and as she turns the corner leading to Chuuya's living room, she spots the male busying with a couple of mugs and a thermos of hot water.

"Coffee or tea?" Chuuya calls over his shoulders, possibly sensing her presence in the room as he continued arranging the cups. Ayaka's eyes drifted to the display cabinet to her right—the one filled and stacked with wine bottles—and smirks.

"None of the above~" She quips, walking over the cabinet. She gives the liquor a brief glance before her fingers grasped the neck of a 2005 _Le Ragose Amarone della Valpolicella_ bottle. Pulling the bottle out of the shelf, she raises it, her cheeky smile meeting a startled Chuuya. "How about this?"

"You actually dared to lay your hands on my wine collection, woman?" Chuuya grumbles as he sets two wine glasses on the table top, glaring at Ayaka who promptly takes a seat across him. "Pretty shameless of you, I might add."

"Don't be such a killjoy, Chuuya." Ayaka replies cheerfully, crossing her left leg over her right one. "Humor me for once. This'll warm us up faster than coffee or tea."

"Fine, but just this once." Chuuya scoffs as he uncorks the bottle, filling the glasses half-way with the dark liquid. Ayaka reaches out for her glass and she raises it, motioning for him to do the same. With a sigh, Chuuya gently clinks his glass against hers before taking a sip.

The taste of chocolate and dark cherries invade her tongue and Ayaka savors the first sip before swallowing the liquid down. The warmth from the alcohol seemed to spread all over her body, making her tingly.

"Oh, this is good." Ayaka mutters in satisfaction, drawing the glass away from her lips momentarily. Chuuya merely drinks his booze in silence, his eyes closed as he savors the flavour. Ayaka pauses in her drinking, her eyes resting over the male's figure. At the weight of her stare, Chuuya pops an eye open and stares back at her.

"What?" He queries, and Ayaka places the glass back on top of the table before replying.

"You know, I really appreciate all the things you did for me tonight." Ayaka utters softly, her eyes drifting to the lilacs Chuuya gave her earlier, now resting inside a vase at the side of the room. "Really, Chuuya."

The male quirks an eyebrow at her tone, his blue eyes taking in her figure for a moment before he returns back to his booze.

"I just happened to have some free time, so might as well kill my boredom." He muses into his glass. "Tonight's really not a big deal."

"So you say~" Ayaka chuckles, raising the glass up to her list before downing the rest of the liquid down her throat. She reaches for the bottle, tilting more of the liquid down the glass before she stands up and approaches the blinds covering the glass windows of the male's home.

"You have a pretty nice place." Ayaka hums, swishing the contents of her wine glass before opening the blinds, whistling lowly as the view of light-filled Yokohama entered her vision. "…and a pretty nice view to boot."

Chuuya angles his head back so he could observe his guest—the woman leaning slightly against the windows as her lips curled upwards in the sight before her. Wordlessly, he stands up, wine glass in hand, as he moves towards her to join her, their bodies merely inches away from each other.

"You think?" Chuuya mutters, his voice low as he takes another swig from his wine glass. "This view is pretty boring, I must say—I see it all the time."

"Oh, boo." Ayaka rolled her eyes at his comment, her blue eyes shifting to the male beside her. "Try to be a romanticist sometimes? Feel the mood." She raises two of her fingers from her free hand, swiping at the air in a quoting gesture at her last word.

"Be quiet, you." Chuuya scowls at her and Ayaka merely laughs it off, shaking her head as she did. Slowly, she edges her way near him, but stumbles in her steps as she did, but the male reacts immediately, placing his glass on a nearby bookshelf, his arms steadying the woman as he breaks her fall.

"What the hell? You're so weak, Braids." Chuuya mocks, his lips tilted upwards into a small smirk as he steadied the unbalanced Ayaka. "You call yourself a drinker?"

"Shut uppp, shorty." Ayaka fires back, her words slurring a bit as the alcohol slowly invaded her system. She raises a finger at the man in front of her, glaring a bit. "That was just my second glass, I don't get knocked out that easily."

Her reply earns a snort from the male, who still held her in her arms as she wobbled in her steps. Ayaka was made aware of the distance between the two of them as she raises her eyes up to meet his gaze.

She vaguely remembered the last time they had been this close, but that was when she was piss-poor drunk, Chuuya having to haul her ass back to her flat himself. Ayaka sweeps her gaze over his appearance—his auburn hair was framing his face in all the right places, his blue eyes—blue like hers—were seemingly darkening under the room's lighting. His pale cheeks held a slight flush under the influence of the alcohol and Ayaka gazes down to his full lips, wondering what it would feel like to have them pressed against her own.

" _Oi, Braids. If you're drunk, go to sleep—"_

She barely registers the irate remark Chuuya sent her way, interrupting his outburst as she brings her lips closer towards his in a kiss.

The man stiffens at her sudden move, his blue eyes widening and by then she had withdrawn, her eyes taking in Chuuya's flushed expression. A small smile tugs on the corner of her lips before she reaches her index finger to his lips, tapping them softly.

"Take that as a token of my appreciation for all your efforts…" Ayaka murmurs under her breath, her blue eyes darkening with unspoken need, as she draws her finger away from his lips.

 _Your move, Chuuya._

* * *

The moment had been brief, but he was certain of one thing: Kurosawa Ayaka had kissed him.

Chuuya had his own share of experiences with women—he had kissed some, seduced some, had the occasional flings—but there was something in the way Ayaka had kissed him that he never felt before. It made him feel funny, the way his body seemed to be in tingles from her slight touch—whether it was the alcohol or something else, he wasn't sure.

Her touch was still lingering on his lips, and that alone fuelled his frustration more. He sighs, running a hand through his hair at the situation they were in, his mind still registering the fact that they had locked lips.

The female was waiting for his response with an unreadable expression on her face, but that smile of hers never left her face—her blue eyes seeming to address a challenge to him as she swirls the wine inside her glass, taking a small sip as she awaits his response.

 _Oh, fuck it._ Chuuya mutters inside his head, placing his glass on the table before drawing the girl close, his lips promptly crashing on hers. She wasn't expecting his movement for she flinches with his touch, but soon relaxes in his hold, moving her lips against his in fervent need.

Ayaka was all but clinging to his body, her fingers travelling south to his growing arousal. Chuuya groans into her mouth as she slowly palms the growing tent in his pants, breaking the spell and he pulls back slightly, panting. She was catching her breath, too, panting slowly from their earlier kiss.

"All right…" Chuuya mutters, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke, his blue eyes darkening with want. "… _ **bed**_."

* * *

Stumbling in their steps, Chuuya leads her to his room, slamming the door closed behind them. Clothes were pulled off from each other's bodies, his lips meeting Ayaka's again and again in a feverish kisses as they tumble into the mattress, Chuuya straddling her from above as he holds her bare body flush against his.

Ayaka's hair was splayed messily around her, the brown strands seemingly black under the dim lighting of his desk lamp. He could make out a small birthmark near her navel, and he reaches out to trace the outline of the shape, making the woman underneath him shiver at the feel of his fingers on her bare skin.

Chuuya feels Ayaka's fingers reach up—tracing her fingers over the muscles of his arms, his chest, his stomach—his mind going blank as he feels her gentle touch on his skin. Ayaka slowly moves her hands, her hands seemingly burning against his bare skin as she took time to explore the dips and curves of his body.

Chuuya leans down, taking her lips once again in a slow kiss, his tongue lazily seeking out her own before he pulls back to pepper her neck with gentle bites, each movement eliciting a soft gasp from her.

She smells of peppermint—most likely from his own body wash—and that coupled with her own natural scent, almost drives him to the brink. She was so sweet, so tempting, _so intoxicating_ and he almost loses it when she rolls her hips sensually against his, an impatient whine escaping from her plump lips.

Chuuya growls with need and in the next moments, he just loses himself inside of her. Ayaka breathes his name, her fingers tangling in his auburn locks as she draws him closer, her legs wrapping around his hips as he continues to move his hips against hers. His lips seals over hers as he thrusts, swallowing every muffled cry of his name that cried out from her mouth.

The room fills with the sound of skin slapping against skin, of hushed murmuring of names, of the moans and groans as the two of them reach completion. As both collapse with the shared ecstasy in the tangled sheets—cheeks flushed and chests heaving as they breathed hard-they wished the night would stay young for a while longer.


	13. playing with fire

Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

The pendulum inside the lone grandfather clock in the room continued swinging as the minute-hand slowly edged its place beside the hour hand on the clock's face. A deep, ringing sound chimed thereafter, making Letizia Verdi look up from flicking the pages on a worn-out journal.

She turns her head, angling her body to look at the grandfather clock before reverting her gaze to the wristwatch resting on her dainty wrist. Set with Swarovski crystals on silver, her wristwatch mirrored the exact same time displayed on the grandfather clock.

 _Midnight_ , Letizia mused before she closed the journal she had been reading, placing it atop the glass surface of the center table in front of her. She reaches out to a half-full wine glass across the table, swishing it sideways before she took a diminutive sip. _Just in time._

As if on cue, her phone rings, and Letizia carefully swipes it off the table, pressing ' _Receive_ ' and placing it over her right ear.

"Ciao." She answers the phone call in a clipped, business-like tone; her lips in a tight line as she addressed the caller on the other side of the line.

"Signora, the first shipment is scheduled for next week." The voice from the other line had a brusque, manly voice as it gave the report. Letizia's lips curled at his words.

"Perfect. Continue as planned, this shipment's been twice delayed already." Letizia replies as she picks herself off the couch and walking towards the hotel's blinds. "We can't afford to tarry."

" _Si._ Understood, Signora." The other voice remarks. Letizia takes another sip from her wine glass as she opens the blinds, pinning her gaze to the well-lit streets of Yokohama down below.

"And the other matter I asked you to look into?" She queries, leaning against the wall as she continued to assess the view underneath her. "Have you done it as well?"

A small silence washes over the two, and in irritation, Letizia clicks her tongue.

"Well? Have you or have you not done it?" The woman hisses through gritted teeth, her grip on her wine glass tightening as she speaks.

"I have finished my investigation, Signora." The man replies. "I will send the details to you in a while."

Letizia scoffs. "Very well, then." She narrows her eyes against the reflection of the glass windows, her green eyes dimming under the hotel lighting. "Send it over, now."

"Understood." The affirmation was quick, and a beep from her nearby tablet signalled the arrival of the files. Once it did, she hangs up, ending the call with a swipe of her fingers.

Letizia returns back to the couch, her fingers reaching over her tablet. Placing the wine glass on the table, she swipes the screen open, revealing several profiles. She taps on one particular file, her green eyes browsing through one man's specifics. A smirk etches its way on her face at the photo of a brunet with blue eyes, leaning over a bar counter, speaking with a familiar figure of a girl with braids.

"Nakahara Chuuya, huh…?" Letizia mumbles before tapping at the photo and zooming in the photo of the girl. "Looks like I have the perfect bait."

She takes her gaze away from the screen and returns to her half-empty glass, the top smeared with her red lipstick. Letizia pours the remaining liquid down her throat.

 _I will crush the Port Mafia. No one will interfere with my plans from now on._

* * *

Morning sunlight streamed through the blinds of his room, waking Chuuya from his slumber. He blinks the sleep away from his eyes, attempting to roll over to the other side of his bed, but stops when he feels a weight against his chest, his arms wrapped around something soft and warm.

His vision refocuses and he almost chokes when the familiar face of Kurosawa Ayaka sleeping soundly against his chest comes into his view.

Her bare legs where tangled with his in the mess of his bed sheets; her long hair in messy tufts around her face. Her neck and collarbone were peppered with his 'love bites', the little red marks juxtaposing against her fair skin. The steady rise and fall of Ayaka's chest and her slow, peaceful breathing showed signs that she was still asleep.

Chuuya curses under his breath, his mind processing the events of the night prior. He places a hand over his face, warmth slowly spreading on his cheeks.

 _Shit, I lost control last night._ He mulls over in his head. _What do I do when she—_

" _Mhmm."_

Chuuya's train of thoughts were interrupted when the female against his chest stirs, a small moan coming out of her mouth as her sleep was disrupted by his earlier fussing. Ayaka yawns, blinking her sleepy blue eyes twice before looking up to the male next to her. To Chuuya's surprise, she greets him with a sleepy smile.

"Hi." Ayaka murmurs into his skin as she nuzzles against his chest. She pulls back—still close enough to touch—the same sleepy smile etched on her face as she stares at the male beside her. Chuuya found her expression oddly endearing.

"H-hi. Morning." Chuuya murmurs back, the words coming out of his mouth in stutters before he could stop himself. Ayaka sighs, slowly detaching herself from their embrace. Her body warmth slowly ebbed from his skin and Chuuya unknowingly scowls.

Ayaka notices his furrowed eyebrows and chuckles lowly, making the Mafia executive frown.

"What? Why are you laughing?" Chuuya spats out and Ayaka reaches out to his face, her fingers smoothing out his scrunched-up brows.

"Keep frowning like that and you'll get all wrinkly~" She teases, a grin on her face as she uttered her statement. Chuuya scoffs, refusing to comment further and Ayaka draws back, drawing the blankets up to her chest as she sits up on the bed.

Chuuya watches as she sweeps her long hair across her back, the brown tresses resting like a dark curtain on her back. Her delicate fingers brushed through the tangled mess of locks before she reached down to pick up her undergarments from the floor. Silently, Chuuya watches her as she dressed up, his blue eyes tracing the slender curve of her body as she throws on the dark blue shirt, the material barely reaching past her thighs.

" _ **Ogling my behind, Chuuya?"**_ As if sensing his intent gaze from behind, Ayaka tilts her head back, a smug smile on her face. "You're enjoying the view, if I may say so myself." She angles her body so that she was leaning over him, some of her hair spilling over her face as she locks gazes with him.

"Shut up, Kurosawa." Chuuya barks back, his blue eyes immediately averting to the side to avoid her gaze. He misses the way Ayaka's lips curl into an affectionate smile, and Chuuya gets caught off-guard when she suddenly presses her lips against his in a brief kiss.

Heat was slowly creeping on his cheeks at her gesture, but before he could retort back, she was already drawing away from his touch, her back to him as she approached his door. Gathering his wits, Chuuya sits up from the bed, the blankets pooling on his lap.

"Where are you going?" He calls out to the female. Ayaka halts in her steps, angling her head so she could look over her shoulder to face him.

"I'm going to go shower." She quips, shrugging her shoulders good-naturedly. Chuuya falters a bit, his hand coming up to ruffle his hair in a show of frustration.

"Oh, right. Sure, go ahead." He grumbles under his breath, his blue eyes narrowing at Ayaka as a flare of disappointment swells inside his chest. The girl suddenly snorts, and the sudden seductive smirk she sent his way threw him off-guard.

"You're going in with me, silly boy." Ayaka purrs, her blue eyes glinting with barely-hidden desire. "We'll shower together."

Her suggestion surprises Chuuya, evident in the way his body flinches at the tone of her voice. He draws out a sigh, his breath shuddering as he composes himself. A smirk curls on the corner of his mouth.

" _ **Fine by me."**_

* * *

"About last night…"

Ayaka looks up from strapping her heels at Chuuya's genkan, straightening her posture as her gaze flies to the man in front of her.

He was dressed in his work clothes, while she had donned her dress from last night, the fabric dry and fresh after putting it through Chuuya's dryer while they showered—which took a while, considering they fell into each other's arms again while in the bathroom.

"Hmm?" Ayaka hums, slinging her coat over one arm as she places her clutch under one arm. "What about last night?"

To her surprise, Chuuya reaches out, his gloved hands grasping for her hand. Drawing her close, his fingers interlocked with hers. Chuuya's blue eyes stared right through her with an unreadable expression on his face, his gaze intent. Something with the way he looked at her right now, sent a flurry of butterflies inside Ayaka's stomach, her heart pounding a bit loudly in her chest.

"About last night…" Chuuya continues, squeezing their interlocked hands gently as he stares at her face. _**"…please don't let that be a one-time thing."**_

Ayaka blinks, processing his words in her mind. Heat crept up to the rest of her ears as his declaration floored her. Sighing as she recomposes herself, she gives him a soft smile before pressing a soft kiss on Chuuya's lips, surprising the male. As Ayaka pulls back, a wolfish grin rests on her face.

"Well, Chuuya…" She leans to rest her forehead against his, her thumbs rubbing over Chuuya's knuckles soothingly before she continues. "…that proposition of yours can be arranged."

* * *

From his position on the third floor of the motel two blocks away from Chuuya's apartment, Luigi Verdi observed with a pair of binoculars as Kurosawa Ayaka emerges from Nakahara Chuuya's front door.

He watches as the girl mutters something to the Mafia executive before slipping a small paper in Nakahara Chuuya's hands—no doubt her phone number or an address, Luigi deduces. In a swirl of blue skirts, Kurosawa Ayaka walks away from the residence, on the way to the train station.

Luigi pulls the binoculars away from his face, his fingers tapping out a message on the screen of his phone.

' _ **Confirmed. Kurosawa Ayaka is connected with Nakahara Chuuya.'**_

A beep. The reply after he sent his report was immediate.

Luigi glances and taps the message, hazel eyes scanning over the content.

' _ **Perfect. We will proceed as planned.'**_


End file.
